Articles by author: Brock University

• Brock partners with Afghanistan university to boost international research

  Tuesday, May 29, 2018 | By Brock University

  MEDIA RELEASE: 29 May 2018 – R00115

  In an effort to enhance international research and promote global scholarship, Brock University has signed an agreement with Kateb University in Afghanistan.

  Senior officials from both institutions met on Brock’s campus this spring to discuss and formalize the partnership through a memorandum of understanding.

  Established in 2007, Kateb University is a non-profit private institution located in the urban setting of Kabul, Afghanistan. The university has an annual enrolment of under 4,000 students and notable Faculties in political science, economics, medicine, education, sociology and computer science.

  Striving to be an educational leader and top research producer in its region, Kateb is investing in the research capacity and knowledge of its faculty through the Brock agreement.

  “It’s an honour to provide institutional colleagues with the opportunity to further their research,” said Tom Dunk, Brock’s Interim Provost and Vice-President, Academic. “Education is universal and providing the world with access to higher learning opportunities is the best path to peace and prosperity in the future.”

  The agreement supports Brock’s strategic mandate of promoting internationalization, fostering excellence in research, scholarship and creativity while supporting the University’s student-centered focus.

  The new MOU, a first for Brock in Afghanistan, will see the St. Catharines institution host a small number of Kateb faculty members annually to undertake research methodology training and participate in Brock’s visiting Global Scholars program.

  Brock will support the development of Kateb University faculty members by providing them with opportunities to complete their doctoral work.

  This agreement will also promote international and intercultural understanding, educational best practices and the opportunity to collaborate on joint research activities and publications.

  For members of the Brock community, the agreement opens up opportunities for international mobility and encourages student, researcher and professional development between the two institutions.

  “We hope that this agreement will lead to greater research networks among faculty, as well as the potential for students to participate in research-based internships,” Dunk said.

  The agreement marks the beginning of a five-year partnership between Brock and Kateb University, with plans to start implementing the agreed upon initiatives in the upcoming 2018-19 academic year.

  For more information or for assistance arranging interviews:

  * Dan Dakin, Media Relations Officer, Brock University ddakin@brocku.ca, 905-688-5550 x5353 or 905-347-1970

  Brock University Marketing and Communications has a full-service studio where we can provide high definition video and broadcast-quality audio.

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  Categories: Media releases

• Brock wine researcher highlighted among international experts

  Monday, May 28, 2018 | By Brock University

  MEDIA RELEASE: 28 May 2018 – R00114

  A Brock University researcher is being lauded as one of 16 women who have made an indelible mark on the wine world.

  Belinda Kemp, a senior scientist in oenology at Brock’s Cool Climate Oenology and Viticulture Institute (CCOVI), is highlighted in the latest edition of the LCBO’s Vintages magazine in a feature about wine industry innovators from around the world.

  “The women on this list are a group of forward-thinking industry trailblazers,” says Kemp. “To be named alongside them is truly an honour.”

  Kemp was praised for being at the forefront of research on aroma and flavour in sparkling and appassimento wines. In her role at CCOVI, she splits her time between researching priorities identified by the grape and wine industry and providing outreach and support to that community.

  With a winemaking passport that includes work on three continents, it was CCOVI’s international reputation and the allure of working on research that was relevant to the industry that brought Kemp to Brock in 2013. What kept her here was the collaborative culture of local winemakers.

  “Ontario winemakers are so open to research collaboration and new ideas, and are genuinely interested and understand the value of wine research,” Kemp says. “What really kept me in Canada was when I realized winemakers were changing aspects of their winemaking based on the results of our research.”

  Kemp’s laboratory dubbed ‘The Bubble Lab’ is recognized for its leading sparkling wine research and outreach work. In addition to her research on the topic, Kemp has organized Fizz Club since its founding in 2013. The networking group of sparkling winemakers is a closed-door session that allows those in the industry to discuss triumphs and challenges in sparkling winemaking and discuss the latest research advances. When Fizz Club was established, there were fewer than 40 wineries producing sparkling wine in Ontario. Five years later, the number of producers has ballooned to 90 and winemakers from four provinces have engaged with the group’s programming.

  CCOVI Director Debbie Inglis says Kemp’s work at the institute embodies the spirit of the institute’s commitment to industry-based research.

  “In her short time in Canada, Belinda made a lasting impact on the Ontario wine industry,” Inglis says. “Her sparkling wine research and outreach work has helped shape a growing segment of Ontario’s wine production.”

  For more information or for assistance arranging interviews:

  * Dan Dakin, Media Relations Officer, Brock University ddakin@brocku.ca, 905-688-5550 x5353 or 905-347-1970

  Brock University Marketing and Communications has a full-service studio where we can provide high definition video and broadcast-quality audio.

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  Categories: Media releases